It is well known in the bottling industry that empty bottles are often returned for cleaning and refilling. It is common for bottles of various sizes and configurations to be present in a single case when returned to the bottler. Such case is presented to a bottle sorting process in which an uncaser lifts the bottles from the cases and subsequently deposits them on a conveyor where they are passed to a sorter where like bottles are assembled together for cleaning and refilling. Uncasers typically used in bottle sorting apparatus generally include a plurality of bottle grippers or uncaser fingers. These fingers descend upon the bottles within the cartons and, when positioned over the mouth of the bottle, are caused to close to grip the bottle below the mouth at the mouth rim. The finger lifts the bottle from the case or carton and transports it to a conveyor which takes it to the sorting apparatus.
With prior art bottle grippers or uncaser fingers, a single gripping surface was provided for engaging the bottle rim. Accordingly, when released from an uncaser finger, a short bottle fell a longer distance to the conveyor than did a taller bottle. Indeed, the drop of the shortest bottle to be handled would typically be equal to the difference between its height and that of the tallest bottle to be handled. When bottles of significant height differences are to be handled by the prior art apparatus, it is not unusual for the shorter bottles to tip or fall when released by the finger at a substantial height above the conveyor. Such dropping and tipping reduces the effectiveness of the apparatus and prevents efficient operation of the same.